Cycle-fork.



G. CUMMINGS.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. CUMMINGS.

CYCLE PORK. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1911.

UNITED srx'rns rArENr curios.

GEORGE CUMMINGS, or DAYTON, OHIO, nssrenon OF ONE-HALF T0 E'LMER M.LEWIS,

OF DAYTON, OHIO.

CYCLE-FORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an.'9, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE CUMMINGS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county ofMontgomery and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Cycle-Forks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of a front or steering wheelforl for bicycles and motor-cycles.

The object of the invention is to provide for such cycles a simple andcheap fork which is very strong and yet quite elastic so that it willrelieve the machine and rider of shocks and jarsincident to theunevenness and minor obstructions of the road over which the machine maybe ridden, and also to so arrange the parts that the spring will serveas a guard to protect the rider from dust and dirt thrown up by thefront wheel while the machine is being ridden, and may have itselasticity readily adjusted to suit the weight of the rider.

' The invention resides in a construction having a fork that at one endis pivoted to the steering crown, so that it can oscillate forward andbackward, and that at the other end is secured to the front wheel axle,said organization also having a long wide leaf spring which conforms toa portion of the wheel tire, and that at one point is secured to thesteering crown, and at another point is connected with the front wheelaxle, whereby the oscillations of the fork incident to the vibrations ofthe wheel as it runs over the road, are restrained and absorbed by thespring which also serves as a mud guard.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a side elevationof a portionof a cycle wheel and a spring fork which embodies a form of theinvention that is more particularly designed for. motor-cycles. Fig. 2shows steering wheel hub and the means connecting the lower ends of thefork and the ends of the spring rods, with the wheel axle. Fig. 3 showsthe method of connecting the spring with the spring rods. Fig. 4 shows afront view of the crown and the means for connecting thereto thefork-yoke and the spring. Fig. 5 shows a side elevation of a portion ofa wheel and a fork which embodies a form of this invention that is moreparticularly designed for bicycles. Fig. 6 shows a front view of thefork and crown on larger scale a plan of the illustrated in Fig. 5. Fig.7 shows a vertical section on larger scale of the crown and the upperend of the fork and spring connected therewith. Fig. 8 shows a methodofdconnecting the spring with the springro s.

The steering crown 1 is secured in the common manner to the stem 2 whichis designed to pass loosely through the frame head and to be connectedwith the steering handle-bar. The upper ends of the fork-tubes 3 ofcommon design are brazed or otherwise secured by the usual method to thefork-yoke 4;, and this yoke is hinged to the crown by the pivot screw 5,suitable bearings 6 being arranged in the crown to reduce the frictionto a minimum. The lower ends of the fork-tubes are connected with theaxle 7 by the ordinary means. The hub 8 of the wheel 91 is mounted uponthe axle in the usual way.

The broad flat leaf spring 9, which is shown in Fig. 1, is fastened tothe crown by the clamp bars 10 and nuts 11. This spring curvesrearwardly and downwardly adjacent to the wheel tire and is ofsuflicient and dirt that is picked up by the wheel from being thrownonto the rider. The lower rear end of this spring passes between and isheld by a pair of clamp plates 12. "These clamp plates are connectedwith a plate 13, mounted on each end of the axle, by a rod 14 on eachside of the wheel. In the form first shown, the spring also extendsforwardly and curves over the wheel in front of the crown. Near itsfront end the spring passes between a pair of clamp plates 15 that areconnected by rods 16 with the plates 18 on the axle ends. This form ofspring fork is particularly adapted for motor-.

shocks and ars incident to the vibrations of the wheel in encounteringobstructions and passlng over unevennesses of the road,-

are absorbed by the leaf spring ends, which ,width to form a guard whichprevents mud I up or down along the leaf spring ends until the desiredrigidness is obtained.

In the.second form of the invention illustrated, which is perhaps betteradapted for bicycles, the upper end of the fork 17 is hinged to thecrown 18 by the pivot screw'19. Suitable bearings 20 are arrangedbetween the parts to reduce the friction in this case as in the former.In this adaptation of the invention, the upper end of the long flatspring 21 terminates at the crown to which it is secured by passing itinto a dove-tail mortise therein, and holding it there by a screw 22(Fig. 7). This spring curves rear-- wardly and downwardly over thewheel, and is of a width substantially the same as, or preferably alittle wider than, the diameter of the tire 23. This spring near itslower end is clasped by clamp plates 24:. These clamp plates areconnected by rods 25 with the axle 26 outside of the lower ends of thefork, which are also connected with the axle. In this form the yieldingof the supporting and steering fork is controlled by the mud guardspring which is strong yet resilient.

The invention claimed is 1. In a cycle, the combination of a steer ingcrown; a fork with its upper end pivoted to the crown so that the forkmay swing forward and backward, an axle attached to the lower end of thefork, a leaf spring secured at one point to the crown, and rodsconnecting said spring at another point with said axle.

2. In a cycle, the combination of a steering crown, a fork-with itsupper end pivoted to the crown so that the fork may swing forward andbackward, an axle attached to the lower end of the fork, a leaf springsecured at one point to the crown, and rods connecting both ends of saidspring with said axle. 3. In a cycle, the combination of a steeringcrown, a fork with its upper end pivoted to the crown so that the forkmay swing forward and backward, an axle attached to the lower end of thefork, a leaf spring secured intermediate its ends to the crown andcurving forwardly and backwardly therefrom, and rods connecting the endsof the spring with the axle.

4. In a cycle, the combination of a steering crown, a fork with itsupper end pivoted to the crown so that the fork may swing forward andbackward, an axle attached to the lower end of thefork, a leaf springextending forward and backward of the crown, clamp bars and nutsfastening the spring intermediate its ends to thefcrown, rods connectedwith the axle, and clamp plates connecting the rods with thespring nearits ends.

. 5. In a cycle, the combination of a steering crown, a fork with itsupper end pivoted to the crown so that the fork may swing forward ndbackward, an axle fastened to the lower nd of the fork, a springconforming to the contour of the wheel and of a width equal tosubstantially the width of the tire, said spring at one locality beingsecured to the crown, and at another being connected with the axle.

6. In a cycle, the combination of a steering crown, a wheel axle, a forkattached to the axle at one end and pivoted to the crown at the otherend, a leaf spring fastened intermediate. of its ends to the crown, andmeans connecting the spring near its ends with the axle.

7. In a cycle, the combination of a steering crown, a fork with itsupper end pivoted to the crown, an axle attached to the lower end of thefork, a leaf spring clamped intermediate of its ends to the crown, clampplates adjustably secured to the spring near its ends, and rodsconnecting the clamp plates with the axle.

8. In a cycle, the combination with the steering crown and thesteering-wheel axle, of a fork hinged at one end to the crown so as toswing forward and backward, and fastened at the other end to the axle,and a curved leaf spring secured at one locality to the crown, andconnected at another locality with the axle.

GEORGE CUMMINGS, Witnesses: Y

J. B. PARMELEE, JAMES C. BURT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. 7

' Washington, D. G.

